Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-04-19

Ezzz1s Fosx TxzEzEzszNwR-
] hspe PEA 81 allsu ne - Be ksaE5,
1zoS yoa have eaiIed fhs AtssaEie8 Il
- e1ol1s = tie gross inizsEiss that y
Eearsy n sd 1pe= tie szxpsy-Es Ct
AiaS s11ssy - tAis- tkst A exoesssYe
SAaaARss1 % property y ma3s, snd Sn8t.
e sa1<q1e1ee, King sounty 10 een-
pstlee = oouEFibass 10 tie sspp0rt q
tee Territorial 61gsEune1f uacb more
s1sa her ieEiti1ass STARE. II oaF con-
ts1ss91 - tr1e. thea % - important
seas sftsnfio1 - paid 30 ths s1bieet -
tAe taxsnR ofssers-
lPn1 a. exsziDafia1 Ct Statistics Q
11d TAI n lss4 tie vaIu1tis1 Of iaxa-
- property u kisg eoansy wzs nxsd at
a. sotai s11 Of eI0.ls7 so, whsle IN
- - total y4lasfl9R VS. toe san Of
- - - Tzrfs isn Of 8 - so. and
!. : x.laassan fsE tie year 1885 3 TIE sam
g - va51. 80 variation from 1855 Of 81.
- -. In 1854 King co1nty sIons paid
o1s-nfth 81 the expense Of the maiE-
tess noe % the TsfFEto 6JTerBmss
u leaSs l55S per sent Of sad az
lss- No oHs viii osntena that IS 70
.izAf O. fair 90 honest. apoa the faess.
saAs ear eO1n9y sha1id b ~ any s1eh
proportion az the Territorial harden. Ii
IL wroGR whist should be rsmsdiea--
SGD TIE remedy found at once. Hsd
- 1sRTstoFiai Beard Of EaaAliz stloD,
re tress Eisht be obtained for . WRONG
d0ns, but a. Ne have not. preventive
reme4izs are alone possible.
To n end ear, FIJI and pafnstsklrR
examination Of the matter should b<
made ~ the proper o1hsIals OF the
eounty IN order that eoms degree OF
usifoEmity and stability souid be i'm
saEtec 10 the successive Assessments Of
the esunty and fairness % obtain to an
spprsxfmats degree a. least. Thar this
injustiee to eur tai payers has b-es con
tinaoas . matter Of record No officer
his n enfisualIy aided 10 bring abcut
the fes1lt, bat the result q due we think
70 want Of due Investigation and prop
e understanding Of those fundamental
principles Of taxstion By the appliez-
u which that which u q harden may Be
made 70 rest equally upon the shoulders
# all whose duty it 10 to bear Il. At
different times varied policies have
been IN vogue 10 tbs laying Of tsIsa
The ancient system Of arriving at the
valuation By the actual product has
seen long since absndosed a. bearing
- heavily upon the smaller producers
10 some countries IL 10 thought that q
al upon land measured by rents h
more squahle.
IL the United States actoal value l.
universally the test, and this system.
thoa9h open 10 some objection, 10 IN
| doubaedly the best knowR. Yet in fixing
hat value by estimating the price Of
Hhish the land might sell las 10 com
| monly done) We loss sight TO too Rreai
Al extent Of the real object Of tsxafion
thai u, that each citizen should con
| .Eibate 10 the eommoR fund accordine
20 bis present ability. The value Of 9
sract Of land should be arrived ct for
TIE purpose OF tax Ition, by takine into
consideration its income Bearing quail
lies. For instance take q valuable busi.
aess property In our city, which return'
u rent 20 its owner yearly. saw 5000
Clearly lie present value is $4,000. De
11ct from that sum the valae Of tbs
improvements thereon, which Is = mat
ter Of calculation. and We have as a re-
naindsr the present value Of the land
An adjoining lot may be unimprovec
and may bring 10 no income whatever
stili IL Is capable Of doing 50, and Il
clearly Of equal value With its neigh
Der. Exaetness is Of course impossible,
but tia, idea should We think be kept
10 mind by the assessor. That il haI
been lost sight Of here il King county
IN examination Of the tax rolls
gill disclose at glance. The mos
valuable bostot4 lands "a cur White Riv
valley are as essed at the rate Of ten
iollars per acre. be choicest Of bust
ness properties, returning monthly rev
aaues b their owners Of SUNS ranging
from 800 TO $500 per month, have beer
assessed at from $1,000 TO SO, 900
EheTe the assessment might Justly hav,
9een $4,000 and $50 900 respectively
On the other hand. outlying property
that - suburban property. which Il
valuable in the future, II 81 ell, has been
assessed at haures ranging fr0m $75 "a
$500 per acre. When We consider the
large area Of this acreage (which does
return no revenue, and IL incapable OF
any bat nominal returns at presently
and the evident dispr0poEtion in the as
sessment, We can see one reason why
kiuR county pays more than her share
Of the taXes levied for the use Of ths
Territorial Government. Il is probably
one Of the least Of existing causes. In
vestigstion NAY disclose other more
grave reasons. At any rate, toe much
attention cannot be given the subject o.
taxation By the taxing officers. Let ouI
property be taxed At fair, conservative
valaes- Then let the rate of tax ation
thereon be high or loV, according to the
necessities Of the Government.
TAxPAYKR